Red Velvet Bundt Cake
I make this red velvet bundt cake when I want something that looks like I know what I’m doing in the kitchen. The bundt pan does most of the fancy work for you, which is perfect because I’m definitely not a professional baker.
It takes about an hour start to finish so it’s not a quick dessert. But it’s also not hard? You mix wet stuff with dry stuff, pour it in a pan, and bake. The cream cheese frosting is the real star here – tangy and sweet and so good with the slight chocolate flavor of red velvet.
This is the cake I bring to potlucks when I want people to think I’m fancy. It works every time.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (just regular flour, nothing fancy)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (white sugar)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (this is what gives it that slight chocolate taste)
- 1 cup vegetable oil (or canola oil, whatever you have)
- 1 cup buttermilk (this is important! It makes the cake super moist – don’t skip it)
- 2 eggs (room temperature works better but I usually forget to take them out early)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Red food coloring (I use gel coloring because it’s brighter, but liquid works too – you’ll need more drops though)
For the Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese (make sure it’s softened or you’ll have lumps!)
- 1/4 cup butter, softened (same thing – leave it out for like 30 minutes)
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (also called confectioners sugar)
- Pink or red sprinkles (optional but they make it so pretty)
Equipment You’ll Need:
- 8-inch bundt cake pan (grease it really well or your cake will stick!)
How to Do It
Preheat Your Oven
So first you turn the oven to 350°F. Get your bundt pan out. Now grease it up really good with butter or that spray stuff! Then you shake some flour in there and tap out the extra. This is super important because one time I didn’t do this and my cake was stuck in the pan forever and I almost cried.
Mix Up the Dry Stuff
You need a big bowl for this part. Put in the flour and sugar and baking soda. Salt and cocoa powder go in too. Mix it all up with a whisk or just a spoon. Everything needs to be combined so it’s not clumpy and weird.
Combine Your Wet Ingredients
Get another bowl now – yeah I know more dishes but you have to. The oil goes in first, then buttermilk. Crack your eggs in there and add the vanilla.
Now the fun part is the red coloring! I squirt in a bunch if I’m using gel or like a teaspoon if it’s the liquid kind. You want it really really red or it won’t look right. Pour this into your bowl with the flour stuff and stir it. Keep stirring until there’s no lumps and it’s all smooth!
Bake It
The batter goes in your bundt pan now. Try to get it even but honestly it doesn’t have to be perfect. Put it in the oven. Set a timer for 45 minutes and then check it with a toothpick. If the toothpick is still goopy, give it 5 more minutes. My oven is slow so it always takes 50 minutes.
Let It Cool Down
When you take it out use oven mitts! Duh it’s hot. The cake has to sit in the pan for 10 minutes which feels like forever. Don’t try to flip it early because I’ve done that and the cake broke in half. After 10 minutes flip it onto a cooling rack. Now you wait for it to cool all the way. If you put frosting on a warm cake it just melts everywhere and looks gross.
Make Your Frosting
While the cake is cooling you can make frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter together in a bowl. A mixer helps a lot here. If your butter is cold it’s gonna be lumpy and bad so make sure it’s soft!
Finish the Frosting
Add the powdered sugar but not all at once or it goes everywhere. I add like half a cup and beat it in. Then more sugar. Keep doing this until all the sugar is mixed in and it’s fluffy. Taste it to make sure it’s good – sometimes I add a tiny bit of vanilla to the frosting too even though the recipe doesn’t say to.
Frost That Cake
Your cake better be cool by now! Spread all that cream cheese frosting on top. I like when it drips down the sides because it looks pretty and professional.
Throw your sprinkles on top while the frosting is wet. Pink and red together look so Valentine’s Day cute.
Red Velvet Love Bundt Cake
Equipment
- 8-inch bundt cake pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Red food coloring
For Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1/4 cup softened butter
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- Pink or red sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a bundt cake pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Mix well until all the dry ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined. Add a few drops of red food coloring to achieve the desired red velvet color. Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until the batter is smooth and no lumps remain.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt cake pan, spreading it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the frosting. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and softened butter until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar to the cream cheese and butter mixture, beating well after each addition, until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- After the cake has cooled completely, spread the cream cheese frosting over the top and sides of the bundt cake. Decorate with pink or red sprinkles to add a touch of love.
- Slice and serve this delicious Red Velvet Love Bundt Cake to your loved ones; enjoy!
